Venetian blind construction



- June 4, 1957 s. M. REICHEL 2,794,500

VENETIAN BLIND CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 25, 1955 FIG. 1.

- INVENTORI.

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tates Uflit This invention relates to Venetian blinds, and more particularly has reference to a means for tilting to a steeply inclined position any selected slat or slats rela tive to the remaining slats.

In Venetian blinds in general use today, means for tilting the slats to selected positions is provided, but

requires the tilting of all of the slats together, to a common angle. In this connection, it is often desired that some of the slats be tilted, while other slats remain horizontal to permit passage of light and air through the blindsto a maximum extent. This situation may arise, for example, where it is desired to have privacy from outside observation, while blocking the admission of light and air to a minimum extent. Then again, where the rays of the sun enter a room at a certain angle, it may be desired to prevent direct sunlight from entering the room while still admitting air and light in general, and under these circumstances, it may be desired to tilt to a closed position those slats that are in the direct path of the rays of the sun, at any location between the upper and lower ends of the blinds.

While heretofore it has been proposed to provide Venetian blinds in which some of the slats can be tilted relative to the remaining slats, in general the means devised has been somewhat complex, and has involved substantial changes in the ordinary design of a Venetian blind in which all the slats are tilted conjointly to the same angle. As a result, the means previously devised for tilting some of the slats while leaving other slats untilted has not, in general, found favor commercially. This may be due, it is believed, not only to the relatively expensive construction devised for this purpose, but also to the fact that the closing of certain slats of the blinds has been achieved only over a particular area of the blind, and there has not been full freedom of choice as to the area in which the slats are to be tilted.

The main object of the present invention, in view of the above, is to provide a Venetian blind construction which will be so designed as to involve no more than a change in the construction of the cross tapes, with all other components of the blind being wholly conventional. In this way, it is proposed to permit construction of a Venetian blind formed according to the present invention without departure from accepted manufacturing practices, without necessity of disposal of unused components, and without increase in cost, except perhaps to a very minor extent, above the cost required for conventional blind construction.

Another object is to provide a Venetian blind' construction having the characteristics referred to wherein any single slat, or any selected number of slats can be tilted relative to the remaining slats of the blind, at any location from the upper to the lower end of the blind.

Another object of importance is to provide a construction as described wherein the mechanism for tilting all the slats conjointly, to the same angle, can still be employed to full advantage whenever simultaneous tilting of all the slats of the blind to said angle is deice . sired, without interference from the means provided in the accordance with the present invention for tilting a single slat or slats.

:Still another object of importance is to provide a Venetian blind construction as described wherein the tilting of a selected slat can be effected in either direction, with the cross tape supporting means employed for maintaining the slats in a tilted position being so designed as to support the slats in the tilted, closed position regardless of the direction of tilt.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective View of a Vene tian blind formed according to the present invention:

Figure 2 is an enlarged end elevational view of said blind, showing selected slats tilted to inclined positions; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the slat-supporting cross tape, showing said tape in association with the vertical tapes of the blind, said vertical tapes being shown fragmentarily and in dotted lines.

' Referring to the drawings in detail, there is shown a Venetian blind including vertical or side tapes 10, of conventional construction, between which are supported vertically spaced slats 12, which also are of wholly conventional construction. The slats have the usual transverse, closed slots 14 through which extends a lifting cord 16 in the usual manner.

All these components are conventional per se, and it is to be noted that it is an important feature of the present invention that conventional components such as those already described can be employed, While still obtaining the benefits of the construction.

It is only necessary, to carry out the invention, to

' change the usual cross tapes that are connected between the side tapes 10 for supporting individual slats. In accordance with the invention, the cross tapes 18 can be formed of a flexible plastic and having their ends 20 secured to the side tapes 10 in any suitable manner.

In accordance with the present invention, formed medially between the ends of each cross tape 18, on the upper surface of the cross tape, is a low projection 22 extending the full width of the cross tape and having a flat top surface. curved, convex, or otherwise shaped. Each projection 22 has the part adjacent each of the ends of its supporting cross tape 13 provided with faces 24, 26, which slope inwardly and downwardly from the top thereof, these being faced toward the respective side tapes 10. The undercut faces are disposed in planes at acute angles to the length of the cross tape, when said cross tape is in its taut, straight condition shown in Figure 3. The undercut faces converge in the direction of the cross tape 18, and at their convergent ends are spaced closely apart, to permit integral connection of the projection 22 to the cross tape.

In an alternative embodiment, the projection might be formed separately from the cross tape, and could be cemented thereto or otherwise secured. This alternative construction might be desired, for example, when Said surface might alternatively be The tilting of the slats is accomplished merely by grasping each slat and lifting it off the cross tape, after which one edge of the slat is engaged against the face 24 or 26, as the case may be, depending upon the, direction in which the slat is to be tilted. The faces ,de'fine,

' of is substantially vertically disposed.

By reason of this arrangement, it will be seen that any slat, at any location from the upper to the lower end of the blind, can be tilted 'a'sdesired', and as a. result, one can for example, close the lower slats of the blinds while permitting the upper slats' to remain open, so as to obtain a selected degree of privacy from outside observation below windowlevel without'blocking all light from the outside. At the same time, the occupants of. the room may have a clear view to the outside through the upper slats, at a level chosen by said occupants.

The same practice can be carried out with respect to the upper slats, which can be tilted while leaving the lowered slats open so that one can obtain a selected degree of privacy from outside observation above the level of the lower sash of the window without blocking all light from the outside. Furthermore, any desired segment or area of the Venetian blind can be closed to maintain a selected degree of privacy or, alternatively, to prevent direct sunlight from entering the room. Of course, full circulation of air and ventilation, and the free admission of light, is permitted through the portions of the blind that are not closed.

As previously noted, it is an important characteristic of the invention that means for closing any selected area of the blind is provided without any modification in conventional blind construction other than the change of the construction of the cross tape. It is a further important characteristic that this desirable result is achieved while still permitting all the slats of the blinds to be conjointly adjusted between open and closed positions by the ordinary mechanism provided for this purpose, whenever it is not desired to close a particular area of the blind.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which'it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is .only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the.

appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a Venetian blind construction, the combination, with the side tapes and slats supported in vertically spaced relation between the side tapes, of cross tapes for supporting the slats connected at their opposite ends to the respective side tapes; and an upstanding projection on the upper surface of each of said cross tapes, each projection having thepart adjacent each of the ends of the supporting cross tape provided with a face which slopes inwardly and downwardly from the top thereof, the sloping faces of each of said projections being adapted to engage an edge of the associated slat for supporting the latter in inclined positions, independently of the remaining slats of the blind.

2. In a. Venetian blind construction, the combination, with the side tapes and slats supported in vertically spaced relation between the side tapes, of cross tapes for supporting the slats connected at their opposite ends to the respective side tapes; and an upstanding projection on the upper surface of each of said cross tapes, each projection having the part adjacent each of the ends of the supporting cross tape provided with a face which slopes inwardly and downwardly from the top thereof, the sloping faces of each of said projections being adapted to engage an edge of the associated slat for supporting the latter in inclined positions, independently of the remaining slats of the blind, said projections being disposed medially between opposite ends of the cross tapes.

. 3, The combination, with the side tapes and slats of a Venetian blind, of cross tapes for supporting said slats,

each cross tape being secured at its opposite ends to the respective side tapes; and projections on the respective cross tapes disposed between the opposite ends of the cross tapes, said projections'having undercut, opposed faces defining abutments for their associated slats for supporting the slats in inclined positions independently of the remaining slats of the blinds, between the projections and a selected one of the side tapes.

4. The combination, with the side tapes and slats of a Venetian blind, of cross tapes for supporting said slats,

each cross tape being secured at its opposite ends to the respective side tapes; and projections on the respective cross tapes disposed between the opposite ends of the cross tapes, said projections having undercut, opposed faces defining abutments for their associated slats for supporting the slats in inclined positions independently of the remaining slats of the blinds, between the projections and a selected one of the side tapes, said undercut faces being disposed at acute angles to the length of the cross tape, whereby to form each of the projections to a downwardly tapering cross sectional shape.

5. The combination, with the side tapes and slats of a Venetian blind, of cross tapes for supporting said slats, each cross tape being secured at its opposite ends to the respective side tapes; and projections on the respective cross tapes disposed between the opposite ends of the cross tapes, said projections having undercut, opposed faces defining abutments for their associated slats for supporting the slats in inclined positions independently of the remaining slats of the blinds, between the projections and a selected one of the side tapes, said undercut faces being disposed at acute angles to the length of the cross tape, whereby to form each of the projections to a downwardly tapering cross sectional shape, each of said projections being tiltable upon its associated cross tape under the pressure of a slat engaged against the projection, with the projection having one face disposed substantially vertically for engaging the tilted slat and the other face in contact with the cross tape, in the tilted position of the projection.

Walker g May 14, 1940 Kahn Aug. 7, 1945 

